211.070

I also used this method!

K-Mac

As per attached instruction sheet - easiest method rear suspension - coil spring (or airmatic, so there is no need to deflate) is to remove/install the lower control arm inner sub frame bushes (for Camber) with the rear wheels on hoist or car ramps.


This keeps actual radius arc of the lower arm (both sides) inner hole and the matching bush hole still in alignment (or very close to) when inner bolt is removed.


1. Securely position jack below arm (towards inner end) and raise only sufficient to take up/support load.


2. Remove inner bolt and lower jack - sufficient only for end of arm to expose the sub frame bush.


3. Use the supplied K-MAC tool to extract bush (can be tight - use impact wrench if available).


4. Install new K-MAC bushings, then jack, raise arm to re-align holes and insert new K-MAC bolts.




Re teeth surface area.... over the years a lot of design, development has gone into both the steel and the alloy mounts to withstand all out 10/10ths competition motorsport and has cultimated in the current overall unique patented designs.

StarvingArtist

I missed the rear wheels on part. Figured it out for the other side. Still wants to spread away from the hole, and it was nice to have the winch for precise control.


Are the bushings designed different for non- AMG non-airmatic cars with steel a-arms or can I reuse these If I switch to coil overs and steel arms?

K-Mac

Yes Bushings are separate for steel and the alloy arms on airmatic models.

211.070

Well, I finally had a mishap with this kit. I was passing another vehicle and gave moderate throttle application. The rear suddenly felt as if it had broken traction, but there was no warning at all. I was traveling at 65 mph, and my vehicle does not have the power to break the tires free at this speed under these conditions.

So, I put the car on the lift and found that the right toe adjustment had come loose. This would certainly explain the feeling of the rear breaking traction. With the right rear wheel flopping around from toe in to toe out it felt very strange. Off to the alignment rack I go......

This is where the real surprise came. I had planned on changing rear camber to -0.5 degrees to see how traction improved at launch anyways, but I could only get 0.05 degrees of adjustment out of either side. This is indicative that the polyurethane bushing was hammered. I tried to adjust both sides. I turned each camber bolt 360 degrees, but minimal change was observed. I restarted the alignment machine to rule out an error with it. The same lack of adjustment was present. So, I set the toe and tightened everything down.


Not only did my toe adjustment come loose and scare the crap out of me, but my camber bushings are shot as well. This took less than a year, and ~13,000 miles. Durability is certainly a cause for concern. I am certain that all of the nuts were tightened to specification. The right wheel is the one dealing with the majority of the torque produced by the vehicle. This could help explain the reason as to this one loosening up. This does not explain the lack of camber adjustment though. Possibly using a different durometer rated polyurethane would help? I would not be opposed to a delrin bushing either.


I guess I will order some new factory control arm bushings, and some of Shardul's camber/toe links to fix this problem. K-mac has not followed through with any of our previous conversations. I asked them about the new and improved locking hardware many months ago. It got to the point that I gave them my address. They were going to send them to me, and that was the end of it. I want nothing to do with a company that cannot follow through with basic customer service. I Told them that I was willing to pay for the new hardware, but I got nothing. Thanks for almost wrecking my car, and the innocent person I was passing on the interstate.

bbirdwell

At 211.070,
Thanks for your update. I tried the UPD setup Shardul is selling but I sent it back due to interference issues with the subframe on my car when the suspension was at full extension. The potential is there but I believe it needs just one more tweak to put the setup in the big leagues. When and if that occurs, I will re-order the set.

Intermittent KMac stories such as yours concern me enough I have not ordered from KMac. It is difficult to determine the failure rate. Folks with failures tend to post on the forum, folks with successful installs tend to not post on the forums.

I spent a very enjoyable hour or so talking with an engineer at SPC about their company's offerings but, to date, they only sell camber adjustment kits for non-AMG cars. The non-AMG cars use M12 bolts on the rear hub, AMG cars use M14 bolts on the rear hub. The market is not there.

As much as I like both of my E55s, my much less expensive Miata has a far superior suspension system when it comes to ease of adjustment....

HeissRod

Successful install here.

16 months on front bushings
9 months on rear bushings

211.070

Mine was a successful install until last week. I posted mine as well. I am almost a year in to the bushings, and this is the first problem that I have had.

bbirdwell

Any thread lock on the bolts when torqueing the nuts on? Or special locking hardware to prevent the nuts from working loose?

timeToy

Got my front K-Mac bushings since January 2013, no issues so far.

That said I could never get the rear bushings to hold, same symptoms as 211.070, the bushings will come undone under hard acceleration unsettling the car in a very scary fashion. I went for the MB-Arts Toe bar and have no issue with that.

K-Mac

Do apologize, can not explain how you did not receive the locking system upgrades of 12 months ago.


Had 6 requests at the time from MB World members for the new locking system with over 1000 of this design kit now in use.


Please advise your address and will immediately ship you, at no cost, a full complete new rear Camber and Toe adjuster kit with the locking system we have invented whereby it is impossible for a bolt to loosen!


We use the ultimate - all out competition motor sport to prove strength/durability. Far beyond conditions experienced off the track.


Big heavy V8's becoming airborne through corners, broadsiding and slamming down lap after lap.


Situations where race driver and spectator safety scrutineers on evaluation stipulating only K-MAC brand bushings are allowed to be used.


We long since discarding delrin as a bushing material. Receiving minimal replacement requests for our elastomer developed bushings. They not even warranting a separate Part No!


Criteria with all suspension mounts comes down to bolts must be tight - to prevent looseness with subsequent noise and bushing failure.

HeissRod

Had my car on a lift on Wednesday. Bushings still holding great. However, I now need both inner tie rods. Ugh, at least they are cheap.

211.070

K-Mac followed through, and sent me a brand new set of rear bushings with the upgraded locking system. I will have to work it in to the schedule to replace them. I will update with pics when I get the old bushings out.

Enigma94

It sucks it takes posting on a public forum to get them to come through with your request for the updated system.....

K-Mac

.....bit unfair - As above previous reply we had 6 requests at the time for the locking system upgrades and apologized that somehow forum member 211.070 was overlooked!


We are the longest established manufacturer (now in our 51st year) with the world's largest range of front and rear Camber, Caster & Toe adjuster kits, Audi - Volvo.


At K-MAC it is all about customer satisfaction and constantly striving to upgrade / supply the world's best adjuster kits - strength, ease of fitment and adjustment range.


Majority of companies merely source imports and re-label. We proudly manufacture "in-house". This also allowing for total control over quality and rapid / constant design improvements.


This all shows up with K-MAC having more patents and patents pending on innovative design breakthroughs than all other adjuster kit companies combined....


AMONGST MANY OTHERS - THE ACTUAL INVENTORS OF:

• The sliding ball joint for "wishbone" suspensions.

• "Strut" aperture adjusters providing the biggest / quickest adjustment system.

• "2 Bolt Flange Strut" adjusters with twice the adjustment range - yet not downsizing these critical bolts that connect the stub axle / wheel assembly.

• Single wrench adjustment for "bushings" overcoming the labor intensive need to re-install each time.

• 2005 to 2015 "Mustang" and 2010 to 2015 "Camaro" front top strut Camber and also Caster adjusters that do not require structural mods or removal each time to change settings.

Majority of today's Auto's because of cost cutting and the ever increasing speed of vehicle assembly lines only have front and rear Toe adjustment.


With K-MAC therefore the statement "Full Front and Rear Wheel Alignment" again means what it says!


The full / ongoing capability to fix it right the 1st time! Return vehicle to factory specs to resolve costly, premature edge tire wear, steering pull, improve traction and steering response. The result of altering suspension height, load carrying, fitting wide profile tires or curb knock damage.

StarvingArtist

I'm over 10,000 miles front and rear. No problems, and no tire wear, they look new! With my long commute I went through five sets of tires in two years. This was a battle I really needed to win at $1200 to $1400 per set.

BlownV8

Is the upgraded locking system the standard for all your kits?

HeissRod

I'll bet the bushings are cheaper than 4 sets of tires.

StarvingArtist

The worst of it was that no matter how perfect everything was,(I even balanced the rotors to a tenth of a gram) the tires would develop a rhythm long before they were worn out. I used to spin them against chalk, grind off the high spots, then have them flipped and rebalanced. What a hassle!

K-Mac

Of course every ongoing design improvement is included where applicable in all the over 300 part numbers - Audi to Volvo we currently manufacture.

sciroccor

well, it's more than a year later. how are your tires?? and, how fast are you??

that's ALL that matters

i very much want to buy these bushings. they seem to be the proper way to go. can anyone update this thread with newer experiences, please?

thanks!!!!

HeissRod

I'll update.

Near three years later, after installing the front bushings, and my front tires are starting to show some slight wear on the inside of the tread, so they'll need to be replaced.

Rear tires haven't been replaced since I installed the rear bushings 2¼ years ago. Again, they are showing some slight wear on the insides, like the fronts, so they'll need to be replaced.

I estimate I was able to get 15-20k miles out of these tires instead of 5k.

I get an occasional popping noise when lowering from the raised mode, after leaving my driveway in the morning, but nothing else.

Quality install is very important on these and DO NOT try to adjust the bushings with the car sitting on the ground. Either do it on a lift or alignment rack.

dc73

I have a K-MAC rear bushings kit for sale. Never installed nor never even opened box. Just didn't drive the car enough and now the lease is up.

Part Number: 502528-1K

More info

PM me if your interested. I also have a listing in the classified.
https://mbworld.org/forums/suspensio...ml#post6869910

Try Me

I agree, had them a few years ago, the owner of K-mac was nice enough to send me an updated set after i complained about the first gen ones I bought, so I took the stock ones back out, now for the second time, put the new K-mac rears in again for the second time, used them for 2 months them took them back out and put the stock ones back in for the third time, I'm lowered as well, with over 650RWH. They can't handle the massive torque, they act like gummy bears after a while.

sciroccor

thanks, this is good to know. not sure i'll be putting down 650 at the rear any time soon, though... any idea how they'd behave with stock hp but full out at a track on a road course?